


Resume Not Required

by windscryer



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Boys Bonding, Everything is Beautiful and Nothing Hurts, Fluff, Gen, Implied Clint/Nat, Not Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie) Compliant, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, my little avengers: friendship is magic, tony ships it like fedex, tony stark collects people like comic books
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-14
Updated: 2016-04-14
Packaged: 2018-06-02 04:37:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6551332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/windscryer/pseuds/windscryer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sam didn't realize an invitation to fly with Tony Stark was a job interview in disguise, which is just ridiculous. That implies he hasn't been accepted yet. It's more like a new employee orientation. They have a great benefits package.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Resume Not Required

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MusicalLuna](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MusicalLuna/gifts).



> Lucy wanted Sam and Tony with flying, Sam’s wings, and gossiping about Steve. Happy team feelings were just a bonus. ^_^

“Do a loop for me.”

Sam pulled his wings back, dropping down, then flared them to send him sharply upward again.

Tony hummed. “Okay, let’s head back. I’ve got enough for now.” He tipped forward and punched the thrusters.

Sam did a lazy barrel roll while Tony caught up, then straightened out and matched his speed as they cruised down Fifth Avenue, the mixed hordes of tourists and native New Yorkers a shifting mass of tiny dots below.

“So did I pass?” Sam asked, tilting his wings to slalom back and forth.

“We can double his thrust easily,” Tony noted to JARVIS, then, to Sam, said, “It wasn’t really a test of  _your_  skills, buttercup. I saw the video from DC. Besides, it’s more of a democratic selection process and Steve loves you. No one really votes against Steve. We assume, anyway. You’re kind of the first new candidate we’ve had.”

“I’m flattered,” Sam said, “but I think you underestimate your influence on Steve.”

Tony barked out a laugh at that, genuinely amused at the notion. “Yeah, okay. I thought you were supposed to be good at reading people.”

“I am,” Sam said easily, and, well, points to him for self confidence. “But you don’t have to be that good at reading people when a guy talks about you the way Steve does.”

Tony did a roll of his own until he was belly up under Sam and could see his face. “Wait, how does he talk about me? Because biting sarcasm and politely hidden condescension don’t really scream ‘I respect his opinions and let it influence my decision making’ to me.”

Sam glanced down and then shook his head. “Yeah, okay,” he parroted back. “I thought you were supposed to be good at reading people.”

“I have no idea who you’ve been talking to. I am  _terrible_  with people. Squishy ones anyway. Ask literally anyone. I am awful with carbon-based organic lifeforms.”

“It would probably help if you didn’t refer to them as 'carbon-based organic lifeforms’, Commander Data.”

Tony blinked, his lips stretching into an involuntary grin. “Was that a Star Trek joke? Oh my god, we are  _definitely_  keeping you. JARVIS, start a design profile for Mr. Wilson.”

“Which apartment template shall I use, sir?” JARVIS asked.

“Put him on Steve’s floor. Hey, what are your favorite colors, bird boy?”

“I’m partial to Washington white and Potomac grey,” Sam said. He turned his wings to kill his speed and dropped his legs to descend with an impressive grace toward the landing pad. Tony swung his arms back and made his own drop, catching himself just above the cement with a bumper flare of the boot repulsors.

Tony immediately flipped the faceplate up and then disengaged the helmet, tucking it under his arm as he crossed to where Sam was rolling his shoulders as the wings retracted. “Don’t be like that, sugar plum. I am offering you prime New York real estate here. Do you know how much apartments go for in this part of Manhattan?”

Sam shifted his flight goggles to the top of his head and smirked. “A lot more than I make as a counselor for the VA, that’s for damn sure. But I appreciate the invitation.”

They entered the common area and crossed to the elevator as Tony continued his pitch. “What do you make? Annual salary.” Sam gave him a look and he retracted the question. JARVIS could get it later anyway. “Never mind. Doesn’t matter. I guarantee you that you can afford it as an Avenger, since, you know, it’s part of the package. Free rent, free utilities, free groceries,  _and_ ,” he said as the elevator door opened for them and he tapped the wings on Sam’s back, “free toys. All the upgrades you can handle courtesy of me. Tell me that you wouldn’t feel better with the guy who designed this,” he gestured at his own armor, “fixing your wings instead of the lowest bidder Uncle Sam can find.” His head cocked. “Is that weird? Being named Sam and working  _for_  Uncle Sam? I feel like that would be weird—”

“Tony,” Sam interrupted, but nicely. Tony could get used to that. “No, it’s not weird. I don’t think about it all that much. And I do appreciate the offer. But I’m not actually an Avenger.”

“That’s a formality, it really is,” Tony assured him as they got out on the 'shop floor. “You wouldn’t even be here if Steve didn’t like you enough. It’s not like he gives out my business cards to everyone.” Tony frowned. “He better not anyway.” Then shrugged. “You’re the first one who’s actually shown up if he does. And like I said, I saw your demo tape in DC. We could use more fliers. Air support. Whatever. And Natasha likes you,” he said, snapping his fingers and pointing. “That is…” He stopped and blinked. “Actually kind of terrifying. But also one helluva recommendation. You’re unnervingly calm, which Bruce will love. Clint is just gonna like you because of the bird thing you two share, probably. He’ll love you if you take him flying, that I am positive of. And I’m not actually sure Thor is  _capable_  of disliking people. It’s a character flaw, but, hey! It works in your favor. Just go with it.”

Sam laughed and undid the chest harness, putting the backpack on the bench where Tony indicated. “I’d love to take your word for it, but you suck at reading people, remember?”

Tony narrowed his eyes. “I take it back. You’re uninvited. We have far too much sass as it is. But if a space opens up, I’ll let you know.”

“Actually, I think I’m warming to the idea. Anyway, I thought you couldn’t veto Steve.”

Tony opened his mouth, closed it, narrowed his eyes again, and then threw his hands in the air. “I give up. I just… Oh my god. Now I know why Steve likes you.”

“I’m going to take that as a compliment.”

“You really shouldn’t. But what you  _should_  do is come to dinner tonight. Everyone’s in town for once and Steve’s making us do a team bonding thing. I don’t know. But the food will be good.”

Sam sounds truly regretful when he says, “I’d love to, but I have to be back in DC by morning and it’s not  _that_  short a drive. I need my beauty sleep.”

“Okay, A. no, you don’t. And B. forget driving. You like flying, right? You don’t even have to go through TSA, we’ve got the 'Jet. I’ll fly you back myself. Well, actually, Clint probably will. Not that I can’t, but he really likes it and he’ll make the sad puppy face if I don’t let him. It’s another perk of the position. Access to the 'Jet, not Clint’s sad puppy face.”

Sam blinked and Tony wasn’t sure if it was the compliment or Clint’s sad puppy face or the casual offer of a private flight home. Or maybe all three? Who knew. Didn’t matter. He was so close to closing the deal he could almost taste it and—Sam’s erroneous belief that Steve actually didn’t hate him aside—Tony could use always use the brownie points.

Sam’s lips curved in a resigned smile and he chuckled. “I should save myself the trouble and just give in, shouldn’t I?”

“I would recommend it,” JARVIS interjected. “Sir can be quite persistent when he has set his mind to something.”

Sam’s eyes swept up and then back down. “I suppose you would know best on that front, wouldn’t you, JARVIS?”

He treated JARVIS like people. Tony was prepared to go to ridiculous lengths to keep Sam at this point, but he was also pretty sure that dinner tonight with the rest of the team would be all that was needed. He wasn’t kidding about Natasha liking Sam and she could match him for persistence when it came to wanting things, especially things Steve wanted. If she wasn’t so over the moon about Clint—in her own subtle way, of course, who did they even think they were fooling—Tony would think she was actually sweet on the good captain.

“My car,” Sam offered as one final token protest.

Tony waved a hand. “Save you the miles driving it back up when you move here. I’ve got a few in DC you can borrow until then.”

Sam considered a moment longer, then sighed, shaking his head. “Well then, I guess I’m staying for dinner.”

Tony grinned. “Excellent choice. Now pull up a seat. I have ideas and you’re going to love them.”


End file.
